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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24807274">Through the connection</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alle__Panda/pseuds/Alle__Panda'>Alle__Panda</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>404 EP IX NOT FOUND, A little of angst, Awkward conversations about being a female, Canon Compliant, Embarassment, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Foce bound, Here exists ONLY TLJ, Humor, Loneliness, Longing, Menstruation Mentioned, Sexual Tension, Soft Supreme leader Kylo Ren, Soft and fragil Rey, Storm - Freeform, finally THEY TALK to each other, flirt, human cycle, just aims to be fluffy and sweet, lonely rey, not a dirty fic, post battle of crait, sweet Kylo Ren (Canonical Kylo Ren I should say), the blood is just mentioned and nothing more</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:55:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,018</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24807274</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alle__Panda/pseuds/Alle__Panda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey is laying on her bunk trying to fall alseep but she doesn't feel very well. A few months are passed since the battle of Crait and many things are changed in her life. One above all, her body has become stronger. Neverthless, she finds herself completely unprepared about the blood...</p><p>Ben is the first one she tells about it, during a force bound, thinking that she is probably going to die because of some illness she caught on a foreing planet or maybe an inner injury due to the time she fell down of a three when she was practicing combat in the woods.</p><p>Kylo Ren doesn't quite belive he has to be the one to tell her about that. But she is completely alone now, the Falcon communication sistem doesn't work because of a storm. It's raining and Rey feels cold and she is having a panic attack... and so the Supreme Leader doesn't esistate anymore and he goes to rescue his equal in the force. </p><p>Or</p><p>Rey is having her cycle for the first time and thinks she's about to die, and the Supreme Leader of the First Order has to explain to her that, actually, she is not...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The force bound is open all of a sudden.</p><p>Rey's breath is ragged. It requires him a bit to adjust his eyes to the darkness of her surroundings but he immediately hears her heavy sighs. In and out. In and out. Too fast. He doesn't even have time to ask that she is already speaking.</p><p>'Please, go away. I think I am dying right now' she says with the same spirit she could have said that she was about to start a very important task. With nonchalance. But he immediately get the big terror beneath her firm words.</p><p>'What happened? Are you hurt?'. His voice sounds immediately too soft at his own ears. His words measured and kind, as if she didn't avoided to speak to him all the other times before when the Force had connected them, despite his pleas.<br/>'I don't know' she answers then, looking directly at him, her big brown eyes shining with tears.</p><p>He hadn't even realized he had walked nearer her in the same moment he had felt her discomfort. All the previous times they had been very careful to stay apart from each other, but this time something feels different.</p><p>'My stomach aches and also my back and my legs' she says then trying to look at some point on the left above his shoulders. Then he feels her trying to conceal a whimper and it's as if ice cold had reached the pit of his belly. He had never seen her so much vulnerable.</p><p>This time her voice breakes and his mind starts to run. 'Are you alone?' He asks then using all of his self control to keep his voice as much neutral as possible. He doesn't want to scare her anymore than she already is. He has to remind himself that he is not really there with her. So, the best thing he can do in order to help her, is trying to figure out the situation. But his right hand is already upon his commlink, sending a quick request for his subordinate to prepare his ship as soon as possible.</p><p>'Not anymore' she answers them showing what looks like a sad smile upon her young and worried face. She looks so tiny right now, he thinks even before to realize about it. Then he finds he is smiling back at her. The same tense smile. But in the blinck of an eye it is over.</p><p>Because he realizes that there is no point about having is own t-fighter ready in the hungar if he doesn't know a damn about her location. And since he is been asking her the same question in the past few months he is pretty sure about the fact that she'd rather die alone instead of telling him about her wheresabout.</p><p>So he tries to think about another solution. His hands closed into fists while he tries to keep himself calm, but the bound seems to become deeper between them, second by second, and it's as if her terror had become his own.</p><p>'Have you tried to vomit? Maybe you ate something strange or...' he asks then, matter of factly, not caring anymore about manners.<br/>'I already did' she says back at him not only a second after. 'It's the first thing I thought. But it's probably something else. Not the food'</p><p>'How can you tell that?' He replies.<br/>Then he hears her sighing deeply. A long, heavy breath. She closes her eyes, probably in order to find a little bit of calmness, forcing herself to stay focused. 'because I didn't ate anything I found on this planet. Not yet at least' she explaines.</p><p>'My last meal had been the same food I used to have everyday at the resistance base. If there would have been something poisonous I would have felt sick a little earlier'. At that, he suddenly registered the new informations she had given him.</p><p>'You left them'. And that wasn't a question, but a statement. If he looks mezmerized he couldn't tell, but then Rey finally looks at him and suddenly she seems to realize her mistake. 'I am on my way right now, but I am going to come back to them, well...If I survive, that's clear'</p><p>She seems to say those last words in order to look brave and totally not afraid, but she immediately realizes herself that her tone was deeply serious and not full of irony at all.</p><p>And Kylo has to remind himself that he is not there. A quick look at his commlink At least he knows that his ship is ready.<br/>'So you are sure about the food. Okay. But the water?' He asks then. 'Have you drunk also the same water or..'. He doesn't even have to finish his sentence that Rey's eyes goes wide with fear.</p><p>'There is a river not too far away from here...I...The water seemed perfectly fine, I...was fine. There were plenty of animals down there and...they were fine' she keeps repeating 'fine', as if it was an anchor and not only a word. Kylo finds himself even more impatient to ask about her location. But he perfectly knows that he has to be patient and wait for the right moment or her answer will be just 'no'.</p><p>And he wouldn't have any other way to help her if not keeping asking her. She is so stubborn, he thinks now allowing himself to let out a long sigh.</p><p>At least now he has already got some good points in order to convince her to speak out. She is not with the Resistance so she shouldn't fear about him finding and killing her friends.He would be only after her. Then she is in danger and he could easily provide her some medicalaid.</p><p>Yes. This time she will probably tell him where she is. He has to convince her to trust him! But he knows that, after what they experienced the last time they saw each other in person, it won't be so easy. He is still deeply hurt too about it.</p><p>So he is about to make his move when she speaks again, letting him completely stunned after her ammission. 'I am also bleeding'. And now her voice is treambling just like a leave pushed by the wind.</p><p>At that, Kylo doesn't seem to know how to breath for a couple of seconds. He thinks about how fast he can push his ship right now. Feeling his own skin burning from the need to estinguish the space between the two of them. A need he can't even have a name for.</p><p>But it gets deeper and much more desperate any second he is spending apart from her.<br/>Kylo realizes he is been silent for too long in the same moment he feels Rey's light touch on his face. He didn't even see himself kneeling at her side. But now somehow his left hand is on her knee while she is using her index to track the line of his scar upon his face. A simple gesture. Her fingertip is like a feather and he finds himself lost in her incredibly hazel eyes. Breathless.</p><p>The power of their connection through the force still mezmerizes him. It's unbelievable that they can touch each other as if they were in the same room and not so far apart. Only, this time nothing else happens. They stare at each other in silence for a while, he swallows and then he finally says.</p><p>'I don't think it's been the water. Usually poisonous things doesn't make you bleed, by the way. But if you just tell me where you are I will personally come there to bring you to the nearer madbay'.</p><p>His voice his firm but kind. His words no more than a whisper, pronunced while looking directly at her.</p><p>Rey seems to hold her breath for a long moment as if she was expecing him to ask her about where she is until the beginning of the conversation.</p><p>'I also fell down from a tree yearsterday morning. Not a big deal to be honest. It wasn't so high and I didn't even scribble myself, but maybe...' and then her voice trails off in apprehension.</p><p>'Maybe what?' He asks then pretending not to notice about the fact that she just didn't answer at his question about her location, but screaming inside of his head. Even if she is about to tell him something important about her conditions, every second he can't reach for her is a lost second.</p><p>Because it doesn't matter that right now she seems to hold her palm against of his chest. It doesn't matter that she seems so near that he could breath the same air as her. Reality is that she is somewhere out there, probably very far, and he is impatient to get into his ship and run everywhere she is hiding.</p><p>'Well...I probably damaged myself not even realizing about it, or I wouldn't be here bleeding and...'<br/>Now she look so much scared again and Kylo has to bite the inside of his cheek in order not to yell at her to tell him where she is.</p><p>All of a sudden he can't restrain himself anymore. He reaches for the blanket Rey is keeping upon herself and he is about to pull it away when she stops his hand with her own.<br/>'Wait. Please, it's embarassing' she tells him, now looking even smaller under the blanket.</p><p>He looks at her not completely aware of her meaning. A wound is a wound. He is still trying to process how it is possible that she didn't start to bleed immediately after the fall, maybe an inner wound? But in that case, he knows for good that she shouldn't be bleeding anywhere.</p><p>An internal hemorrage doesn't show up until it's usually too late, and he refuses to think about it right now...<br/>But then his mind does him a trick.<br/>He suddenly remember about her words in the specifical order she used to describe him her conditions. 'Stomach ache, back, feeling painful, the bleed'.</p><p>And then a memory of a long time ago plays out in his mind. His mother teaching him one of his first lessons about human biology and anatomy. A lesson he was pretty sure his same mother could have thaught to Rey too, somehow, maybe in another something she probably would have learnt by herself so much earlier if only her too skinny body hadn't been so much malnourished until the last few months.<br/>In the same moment Kylo realizes about it, all the worry that had threatened to drown him, suddenly shifts into understanding, then into embarassment.But also sadness.</p><p>Because he knows that she probably has to be in her early 20ies.</p><p>And it's totally unfair that she had spent to much time, always hungry in a bare desert, not even having the chance to experience the normal changes of her body.</p><p>'Tell me' he starts then, his tone of voice not so confident anymore, but as much firm as he can keep it. 'You...' he sais but then he seems to change his mind not knowing where to start. Meanwhile Rey is still keeping her grip on the blanket, determined not to let him underneath.</p><p>'Rey, please...tell me your location. I can't help you if you don't let me' he finally asks her not baring the tension anymore. His dark eyes now piercing into hers like never before. He didn't expect her to tell him for real. So he ends up really surprised when she breathes out 'The Outer rim. Quadrant 72. The planet is called Ephora. I'll send you the exact location using the gps of the Falcon'.</p><p>In less then a minute Kylo Ren is already on his way toward the hangar...</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thanks to the force, Rey wasn't as far as Kylo had thought in the first place.</p><p>Ephora is also easy to find and in less than a couple of hours he is already there. He had to push through a bunch of asteroids and taking some good risks in order to make it so soon, but his skills as a pilot had never been more helpful than now.</p><p>The connection has faded in the same moment she had warned him about the fact that there is a storm raging all around her, and that she wasn't sure the signal would have worked. It wasn't a big deal anyway. Kylo had never been more aware about the force and expecially about their bound.</p><p>He can't really say if it's the cold rain running down of his neck into his robes or the chill of the strong wind of the storm, or maybe something else. But his is sure his legs are moving as faster as he can while he reaches the old correlian fighter that once belonged to his father.</p><p>All around him there is nothing more than tall trees and leaves. So many leaves dancing into the storm. By the time he reaches the open ramp of the Falcon, he is completely drenched. His hair wet and flattened upon his face while a countless amount of leaves are scattered upon his whole body.</p><p>There is no time for a formal greeting since the wind seems to be not intentioned to calm down. So Rey invites him on board and rushes to close the door of the falcon behind him without many ceremonies. Once he is inside they look at each other with serious faces for a while. No one actually knowing what to say or even where to start.</p><p>"You came" Rey breaks the silence then looking back at Kylo as if he was still a projection through the force and not that mess of a man he is feeling himself to be.</p><p>"I am here" he confirms staring back at her and talking with her same wonder into his voice.</p><p>Now that he finally looks at her, he realizes that Rey has to be a little schoked because she slowly moves her head up and down as if to convince herself that he is truly there. The fear into her eyes has not vanished yet.</p><p>"How do you..."</p><p>"I am still bleeding very hard" she says, now sounding completely terrified. "I couldn't ask for help because thanks to the storm there is no way to find a secure channel to contact the Resistance and...For the same reason I couldn't even fly away from here" she explains and now she is like a river to the outbreak point.</p><p>"I was also afraid to faint because of the loss of so much blood. You know, the auto-pilot doesn't work as it should anymore, so I just waited sitting here, but...It seems I am not gonna faint, not yet at least...My head doesn't feels lighter, so I thought..." but then her voice trails off.</p><p>She looks at him, expectantly, clearly triying to fight back her tears but she doesn't succeede. Her eyes are gleaming like stars in the darkness. He just stays there, listening to her. The conclusion he had previously reached becoming more evident at everyword she adds.</p><p>And if the words weren't enough, there is the banket she has now wrapped around her waist, to tell him that she was probably experiencing a totally "not pre death experience" but a common not so deadly, maybe just awful, famale transition into adulthood. Kylo sighs feeling the pressure of his blood finally calming down.</p><p>At least, now he is almost sure she was safe. During his trip toward Ephora he hadn't thought about anything else but to ensure about Rey's vital conditions. But now...Now he doesn't even knows where to start. How can he explain that to her? Or better: why is he supposed to be the one doing so? Now that he thinks better about it, he probably really shouldn't be the one to explain that to her...</p><p>But then he looks at Rey's frightened face and he just realizes that he doesn't have to tell her everything. Not immediately at least. Just what's neccesary in order to let her know that she's fine. And so he sais: "Rey, you are not going to die".</p><p>He breathes those words out as if they were a heavy burden that he was carrying on his chest. And maybe they are because he immediately feels better as he looks at her staring back at him with trust and hope in her frightened eyes.</p><p>He didn't expect her to trust him anymore. But here he is, and so is she. After so much time, they are finally in the same place at the same moment. In person.</p><p>"Ben, you really don't understand" she says then hugging herself protectively. "I have lost so much blood and it gets worse and...my stomach hurts so much right now..."</p><p>He has to take two deep breaths before to speak. But finally he sais something he hopes it will help her to calm down. He just hopes she wouldn't ask him too many questions but he is trying to do his best. 'Rey this is something that can happen in the life of a normal human being. You don't have to be afraid' he pauses pondering his next words with an inner struggle beneath the surface of his calm face.</p><p>When she looks back at him, even more expactantly and confused than before, he choses just to keep talking and no matter what. He is motivated to spare her every possible distress.</p><p>'Yes, you can trust me. This is not an illness, and it's not even the effect of a poison. It's just a period. I mean...It happens every month or so, during the adult life. I assure you. The blood will last for no more than 5/6 days or so. It's not dangerous. It doesn't affects the functions of your body. Also the cramps at the stomach wouldn't last more than a couple of days. But you can take some medicine in order not to feel the pain. Here, I brought you some'. And saying so he shows her the kit with the painkillers he had kept into his right hand until now.</p><p>At that Rey's crumpled face, finally seems to relax a bit. Somehow she seems more than glad to hear about his poor and absolutely fragmentary explenation. Maybe after two hours of pure fear, it's normal to feel so. But he had expected her to be at least a little more suspecious about it. Instead she seems more than happy to take the medicines that he gives to her.<br/>Some simple painkillers that she swallows in a while without even bothering to drink some water to help the pills go down of her throat.</p><p>'Thank you Ben' is what she says instead, as if they were normal friends instead of... what are they after all? He doesn't really know right now. Maybe allied? His mind is spinning, his hearth beating so fast, that he doesn't even realize that she is coming near him with a towel in her hands until he feels his own teeth clattering from the cold.</p><p>'I am sorry' she says then 'If I had known I wasn't dying I wouldn't have ever reached out to you...I...' she looks embarassed right now. Like a child desperate for attentions but too afraid of being rejected from his parents because he is being too annoying and he has to become stronger very quickly. Or maybe because they are too busy to give him the attentions he wishes...</p><p>And something into his chest seems to break again. 'It was okay to be scared. You didn't know. I...I just wasn't sure you hadn't already took this step, but I think it would be easyier from now on. The first time is the worst'. Kylo isn't really sure about his last statement, of course, but he couldn't restrain himself from the desire to comfort her somehow. 'This is going to improve day by day. Before you even realize about it, you will be used to it'. He adds then with conviction.</p><p>At that, Rey makes a sad smile and bites his lower lip looking conflicted about something.</p><p>"What is it?" he invetes her to speak then, keeping his voice gentle and calm.</p><p>"Oh, it's just...I was just wondering about if there is also a medicine that can help me to stop the blood...I mean, how should I deal with it for a whole 5 days or so?" she points out practically, trying to sound as much cool as possible.</p><p>'True, I almost forgot...' he says then reaching for his poket and brings out a little box.</p><p>Rey lookes back at him not knowing what to expect at all. 'This is for the blood' he explains dryly not even daring to look at her face, but keeping his eyes down on his own hands, hoping that his still wet hair plastered upon his forehead can help him to conceal the embarassment from his face.</p><p>"What is it?" she asks standing still and looking back at the box with curiosity.</p><p>'It's commonly used among people all over the galaxy. But if you want you can also chose the rags instead, I mean...it's fine as much as you are comfortable with it'.</p><p>And then his face is already become completely red. Finally Rey decides to take it in her hands so he can take two steps to move away from the lights. When she opens the box, she finds it hides a little transparent cup and nothing more. When her gaze meets Kylo's once again, she finds him completely red despite the bad lights.</p><p>His usual pale skin has turned purple and she suddenly realizes that she is not the only one embarassed about the whole situation. She doesn't even know why. Maybe It's because she is not used to ask for help. Maybe it's because he is him. Maybe another reason. What follows is a very quick explenation about how the cup works and then an invite for them both to take repactively a few time to recompose themselves. She agress, more than happy about their truce.</p><p>Lucky strike, the turboshower in the crew quarter had been repaired some weeks ago and so Rey takes her time to wash away the dry and not so dry blood from her body and makes her first attempt to wear the cup, finding it extremely frustrating but far better than having to walk with a blanked wrapped around her vaist.</p><p>The pills also seems to work for good after a while, and suddenly she finds herself feeling fine as if nothing happened. Her hearth starting to run into her chest not because of the fear, but for other reasons she is even more afraid to explore...</p><p>Meanwhile Kylo Ren manages to dry himself a little, using the towel she gave him. The hundred of leaves he had brought inside of the Falcon now lingering into the floor. Just like the last time he's been there, when they landed the Falcon on Star killer base, his mind can't avoid to think back at the days when that same floor was his whole world.</p><p>He wish it could have been also his future. A life as a simple smuggler, a pilot as many others, on board of his father's ship. And nothing more. But then he suddenly remembers that the Force had always had other plans for him. Or so it seemed since, right now he is here once again.</p><p>'I think I managed to use it properly in the end. But it still feels a little unconfortable' Rey says then coming back to him. He suddenly notices that her face looks brighter now, her shoulders less bended down. And for a while he think he has succeeded to tell, without truly telling her what she was supposed to know. But then of course the first questions arrives.</p><p>'Why didn't you tell me?' she asks.</p><p>Her words are clear, of course, but he can't fail to notice that now Rey is wearing a new black tunic that makes her look so much mature than the white one she was wearing just a few minutes before and this, this is distracting. She probably did it to conceal an eventual strip of blood, considering her actual condition it's a wise choice. Of course, she didn't chose that outfit to please him, but despite this knowledge, Kylo really fails to look at her as if the change of clothes hasn't affected him for good. Because Rey looks really beautiful right now and he truly can't pretend she is not.</p><p>For some reason the gray tunic he is wearing right now starts to feel thigeter around his neck while her gaze dropes upon his collar, and its golden stripes on its edges. Then her gaze moves upon his large chest, it dropes on the silky black cape he is wearing on his back and finally back on his face.<br/>She is studying him somehow, staring even, not in a different way he was staring at her a moment ago.</p><p>And Kylo is suddenly very much aware that his hair are still a messy nest of raven locks upon his face. His usual composure already lost somehow. But Rey doesn't seem to care or even notice about that. She seems lost in her own thoughts. But for a long moment it's as if there is nothing more than them and just them. The crew quarter of the Falcon had never seemed smaller than this. When he finally finds the words to answer the tension seems to slip away a bit...</p><p>'Tell you what?' He asks then seeming to wake up from a sort of reverie even at his own ears.</p><p>'If you knew I wasn't dying and bleeding once in a while it's common for people all over the galaxy as you said...Why didn't you just tell me?' She asks then chosing to keep her voice low and measured. Somehow she doesn't seem to think this is a difficult question. She probably has got many others by now.</p><p>But of course, Kylo Ren  is not at ease with the question at all and he remains quiet for a while, looking for the most simple answer he could give her. </p><p>When he is finally about to answer, she speaks again. </p><p>'I mean, why do this happens in the first place? Have you had it too?'</p><p>At that Kylo Ren seem to chuckle a little nervously.</p><p>'Well, the reason is..." he pauses. Rey still looks at him with curiosity, and a hint of apprehension. "...Well, you have to reach a certain maturity. You have to became an adult as I said. But..." he seems at loss of words "No, it never happened to me personally'. He finally admits.</p><p>At that Rey's eyes goes wide. 'But, I thought you were older than me. I am I wrong?' She asks a little astonished. And only then she hears Kylo clearly snorting in discomfort. 'In fact I am' he sais "I just turned 29, while you, accordinly to what I can remember whene I have been into your head...you should be around 20" </p><p>"Yes, I am..." she stares back at him with a bewildered expression on her face. "'So why you never got to bleed before?'. Yes, Rey now looks deeply confused. And Kylo knows that if he choses to answer to that question it will inexorably lead to another question and another question and so on.</p><p>Once again, he comes to think that he really shouldn't be the one to tell her about that. He sighs.</p><p>But then he looks at her and he simply  knows he has no choice. He takes a deep breath trying to figure out where to start.</p><p>'Because it's a common thing only between famales" he finallt drops the bomb "it doesn't usually happens to men". Then his mind seems to run back at some old memory of his studies and he adds "I mean, it is known that there are some males around the galaxy who bleeds too, but human males doesn't usually bleed'.</p><p>'Why not?' It's her following question. And now Rey looks even more curious than before.</p><p>'Because it isn't necessary for them in order to preserve and carry on the species'.</p><p>'What? I don't think I understand you anymore' Rey admits then a little dizzy. 'Please, be more clear'</p><p>Another sigh. 'I have been clear. It's just, you don't seem to know anything about this. And there is still a lot you should learn. Maybe I am not the best person to ask about this...' he answeres then now completely earnest about his own doubts.</p><p>But suddenly he looks at Rey and it's like he had just punched her in her face. What did he said to gain such a scowl? He doesn't really know. But then, Rey's eyes seem to darken and her smile fades away. </p><p>"I mean...Maybe we should talk about something else in the first place" he sais. "For example, what were you doing here on Ephora all by yourself during a storm?' He asks her hoping that she will definitively chose to drop the subject. At least he hopes to obtain some minets in order to gater a good idea to tell her the truth. </p><p>More over he is really curious to know what she came here for.</p><p>"There wasn't a storm when I arrived and, well, that is not really your business' she answers then with a calmness that lets him a little puzzled.</p><p>'Oh not my business of course' he repeats slowly trying his best not to speak back at her incredibly cheeky answer with sarcasm, but trying to look as serious as possible. "In fact I didn't just leave my ship and my duties in order to reach you in order to help you out" </p><p>He already knows that mocking her wouldn't be the best way to get some answers. He should be gentle and understanding instead. But he simply can't help himself. The burn of her betrayal in the throne room still aches in his solitary soul. </p><p>'Oh I almost forgot that now you are the Supreme Leader' she says then while her facial expression hardens. "Sorry to steal you away your precious time...But only because you came here while I was in a...problematic situation, it doesn't mean I would share my plans with the First Order'. She sais with anger.</p><p>And Kylo finds himself a little taken aback from her harsh reaction but pretends to be fine. He has to tell her something. Anything to let her know that he is come to her with the best intetions. He had spent almost a whole year thinking about his speech in the throne room. something had gone really wrong in that moment. Now he has got another chance, finally. And he is not going to waste it.</p><p>"I am not the Supreme Leader right now' he sais then surprising himself too 'I am just trying to be understanding and gentle'.</p><p>Rey looks back at him with bewildered eyes.</p><p>Understanding and gentle? "What the hell did he just said?" he thinks now to the brim of panic. Yeah, maybe he hasn't got many memories of his parents, but there is one, very clear, where Han Solo explains to him that women, expecially when they don't feel very well, wants to be treated gently and kindly. That's all. His knowledge about how to be a gentleman run so far. </p><p>Rey, from her side, doesn't seem convinced about his unusual behaviour.  </p><p>'Oh that's what you are here for? You wanna play the part of the good stranger, understanding, gentle and tall?' She asks.</p><p>'Tall?' He repeats as if he doesn't know what to say after her strange statement.</p><p>'Why not? you are tall, aren't you?' She asks in all kindness. For some reason this seems to put him into an unconfortable position and he has to look away from her. </p><p>It not like she meant it as a compliment. Is it? She is just making fool of him, being a better playier in his own game. In fact she didn't answered at his question at all.</p><p>Kylo Ren lets out a little moan in annoyance. He is just about to lose his composure and ask her to just come back with him at the First Order base, when a strange sound catches the attention of them both. Rey's stomach growls and it is so loud that her face immediately turns completely red in embarassment.</p><p>'How much time...' he asks, but Rey's answer is even quicker than his question. 'Two days. I landed on this planet around a week ago. But it wasn't supposed to be a long trip so I brought with me the bare necessity. Then the strom arrived and... I am stock here since then' she admits, her voice sounding not so confident anymore. </p><p>"And after losing so much blood, I can't really do anything about this, I am sorry" she adds a moment laster as if being hungry for days was something anyone was supposed to complain about. As if it was "normal" to endure the hunger and nothing more. </p><p>He had already seen it into her mind. Those endless days on the desert, starving and dreaming to be away. Kylo Ren really has to shake those thoughts away from his head right now in order to keep his mind clear. Unfortunately, a part from the medikit, he hadn't brought any food or other supply with himself. </p><p>Then, his mind is at it again. It shoves him a memory, from a life ago. And it's immediately clear to him, where to lead his next actions. </p><p>"Have you tried to look into the hideout?" he asks. </p><p>Rey stares back at him completely speechless for a long moment. </p><p>"The what?" she says then looking truly unprepared to his previous question. </p><p>And now Kylo Ren feels his whole body vibrating from the inner struggle he is fighting, because a part of him would like to tell her about the whole story, about the games with Uncle Chewe into the cock-pit, the hide and seek, the secret shared with the old furried friend she has become accostumed with too in the last few months. But no. The other half, the one who just keeps thinking about his fathter, and that terrible moment on Star killer base, still isn't ready to reconcile with all of that. So he simply adds:</p><p>"Well, I thought he could have shared with you about his old habit to always save some food, somewhere into the ship" </p><p>"Who?" Rey asks then completely unaware. </p><p>"Chewbecca" he says, forcing that name out of his lips as if it wasn't painful as hell, as if he hadn't shared that part of his life with his father's best friend and hadn't called him Uncle Chewe for the good part of it.  </p><p>And it requires her a moment to finally understand his words. Her expression changes in the blink of an eye. Her suspecious gaze turns into something he isn't really ready to name. Her jaw closed, her lips a straight line. But her eyes now looks kinder than before. And she is about to say something, but he anticipate her words, chosing to move towards the panel of the wall at the extreme right of the crew quarter. The one he knows used to smell of mint and sweet butter cookies. The ones he always kept apart for him, saving them even from his father's greed.</p><p>And it is with a quick move of his gloved hand that the panel fly open and Rey takes some steps in that direction and finally lets out a long breath in anticipation...</p><p>...just to find that Chewe's hide-out is actually completely empty, let out for an old bottle of what looks like brown Correllian wine.</p><p> </p><p>To be continued... </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a random idea during those days, so, take it as it is...</p></blockquote></div></div>
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